Do you lay out or plan your clothes the night before? - YouLookFab Forum

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Do you lay out or plan your clothes the night before?

anne

Veteran

When I used to work in an office I frequently planned my outfits the night before and had the hangers sitting on my door with everything right there. I would rather stay in bed longer than have a leisurely morning so every minute counted.
Now I am a SAHM I don't do it any more, but I am thinking of starting again, as the baby will move out of our room soon (and thus I won't be keeping the lights off at night so as not to wake her). And embarrasingly I have gone out in what I have only later discovered where stained or dirty clothes! Plus some mornings I waste precious time working out an outfit - trying different combinations, seeing what fits me at the moment etc
What does everyone do?

General

18 replies

Latest reply was from Ana

Maya

Veteran

I used to do this, but now I'm too busy scrambling to get homework done or working on my portfolio. Most of the time I only got about 5-6 hours of sleep a night while in school. Now it's summer but I'm having trouble getting back into a normal sleeping routine. In fact it's even worse! It's 1:30 here but I just don't feel tired, so I'm working on my portfolio and taking a short break to post here!

Well anyway when my life was a bit more leisurely I did plan my outfits out and just draped all my clothes at the end of the bed. I think I have given a misleading view of my regular dressing style here, but normally I don't have the time or the energy to be so creative in the mornings, so my outfits are really rather boring and simple. If I planned ahead of time, I could probably do better.

anne

Veteran

Hi Maya - I wondered why you were up so late! (it is 1:48 in the afternoon here)

Tanya

Veteran

Well, I have a somewhat weird habit: once I get up I check the weather forecast for the day and then while in the shower I plan my outfit accordingly to the forecast. A bit wacky, but it works for me!

Maya

Veteran

I'm still up! Going to bed now though. Looks like you're on a strange schedule too, Tanya!

Tanya

Veteran

No sleeping for me the the whole night I've explained it on my shoe opinion thread.

Maya

Veteran

I keep thinking I'm going to bed and then I think of something else I should try now before I forget. Sigh.

Tanya

Veteran

Well Maya I think you should. I'd certainly trade with you at this moment. These last moment attempts to get data never work (Murphy's law) but I feel very guilty if I don't try!

Nicole

Veteran

Anne, I don't typically lay my clothes out the night before, but I do put an outfit together in my mind either the night before as I'm trying to fall asleep, or the next day while I'm going for my walk, or like Tanya does, in the shower.

I like to to mix and match outfits so I don't wear the same top with the same bottom for as long as possible. So sometimes my "imagined" outfit does not end up working, and I usually will change my top (at least once) to get an outfit that I think looks better. Tanya and I both base outfits on the weather (living in New England will do that do you--the weather here can vary greatly in one day). But I've also based outfits on what shoes I want to wear (which is based on whether it's raining, snowing, or how much walking I am going to be doing that day.) And if I get a new necklace...then I can pretty guaranty you that my outfit will be based on what top will look best w/it.

Tanya

Veteran

How funny Nicole, in addition to the weather, I also sometimes plan my outfits based on the shoes I need, especially if it's going to be a very long lab day (or if I plan to go out later in the evening which happens extremely rare).

I also try to incorporate new items in the outfits, in the January I started keeping a list of all the new spring/summer things I was buying, and would add little lines to indicate how many times I have worn it. Needless to say, with the weather here in MA, a lot of new summery stuff such as walk shorts and sleeveless tops has yet to see the world outside of my closet!

shiny

Veteran

I do what Nicole does. For example, yesterday I spent most of the day in my workout gear (yet never got out the door to exercise). Then when I was ready to get dressed, because DH and I were going out for the night, I took a look at my closet before my shower and decided I'd create an outfit around a blouse I haven't yet worn.

This outfit looked great... but alas, it was with my white jacket and when I then consulted with my DH, he told me it was going to rain cats and dogs (which it did). So I scrambled to come up with something more appropriate - and ended up with a pile of clothes all over my bed!

I was so late getting dressed I never had a chance to take a photo but it was a cute outfit - and it did incorporate two items from my closet that I hadn't yet worn.

And like Tanya I definetly consider which shoes to wear. That's always the very first question. If we're going to be walking a lot, then it has to be flats. Last night I got to wear high heels because we were going to be mostly standing around (we did some art gallery opening hopping) and sitting (ate out).

I will also recycle outfits that I know already worked. That's for days when I don't have the energy, motivation, or time to be more creative. Which is why I don't always post a new photo every single day - I'm just wearing something you've already seen! I am finding it is helpful to go back through my photos to recall an outfit.

On today's agenda: weather, sunny but a tad chilly (60s?)doctors appointment and then I'm going to blow off work (since I just completed a major deadline) and hit the mall and maybe squeeze in a pedicure. So no white jacket because I might get confused as a doctor. Hee hee.

Later DH and I are going out again, but I'll probably change for that, and it's going to depend on where we're going and what we're doing, which I don't know yet. So for the day I need something with flat shoes for walking in the mall... and a top that isn't too fussy for getting in and out of easily without wrecking my hair... hmmm... but if I get a pedicure, then I can wear my new open-toed wedges..... so maybe I'll start with that!

I also keep a list of sorts - actually, I take photos of everything I buy. I started that awhile ago, and it will come in handy next year when the seasonal stuff is tucked away in storage and it's easy to forget what I have. It's kinda like having a "virtual" closet!

Antje

Veteran

During the week I always plan my outfit the night before. The reason is that I leave the house very early to go to the gym and then straight from there to work. I don't function well in the early morning without coffee, and I also try to be super quick and quiet so I don't wake up my partner and my daughter. So I just brush my teeth, grab my lunch (which I also assembled the night before), grab my gym bag and off I go.
This means that I spend some time before I go to bed deliberating over outfits and sometimes trying out a combination to make sure everything really goes together.
One horrible risk is I miss a piece of clothing in my gym bag. And it's happened a few times over the years (keep in mind I've been doing this for 13 years). I never forgot my pants, skirt, or top, since those are such core pieces of the outfit, but I have found myself at the gym without a bra, without underwear, without socks, and without a belt. And the most hilarious morning was the one where I had two black boots, but they weren't from the same pair; I obviously threw them in my gym bag in the dark... Hey, I wore them and none of my colleagues noticed

Sarah

I plan according to the forecast, just like Tanya. In fact, I check the forecast, plan my outfit, and then pick my underwear, because right now I have too many strange colors and textures of bras (most of which are the wrong size and need to go). My next overhaul will be my bra drawer, but that's expensive! I rarely plan out the night before; if I do that it’s for some special occasion. I typically reuse outfits though instead of doing a lot of mixing and matching. That is especially true right now, since I’m short on spring/summer clothes. I love Shiny’s “virtual closet” idea. I may have to start doing that.

Patience

Veteran

I do like Shiny and Nicole. This means that my morning routine has gotten a bit longer than they used to be because my ideas don't always work unless I've worn them before. I also realized lately that I buy clothes this way. That is, I'll see something, get a visual of an ensemble in my head and buy it. What I need to be better about doing is trying the whole ensemble before committing to the item. I do sometimes try out ideas in the evening but not specifically for an outfit for the next day.

Becky

Veteran

I often (but not always) have an outfit planned the night before after checking the weather forecast and thinking about the next day's activities. It helps me get ready more quickly in the morning than having to deliberate, try, and reject conbinations before deciding on an outfit. I did this when I worked outside my home, and it still works for me as a SAHM.

Julia

I do both, planning the night before or scramble the outfit in the morning. Most of the times the one planned is put together and I feel good all day, and the one assembled in the morning is not as fab if I haven't worn it before and knew it was good.

I think that it's worth to take some time and assemble as many outfits as possible for different weather, take pictures of them and print them out. In the morning I can just pick one quickly and know I'll look good in it. Ha, that can be my project for this long weekend.

Ana

(website)

Veteran

Julia--that sounds like a good idea! By the way, I think it's awesome that you donated your clothing allowance to the Chinese earthquake fund.

I look at the forecast, and unless I have some specific event planned for the next day, I usually just pick my outfit in the morning. I'm try to get better though, because, like Julia, I don't always feel as fab as if I really put thought into it the night before.

Julia

Thanks Ana, I'm trying to help as much as I can for those who lost families and properties in the earthquake.

However, I broke my promise for not shopping for a month. Several of my faves are on sale so I gave in. I just tell myself that I am borrowing next month's allowance before the sale items are gone.

Ana

(website)

Veteran

Haha, I do that all the time, Julia (much to my husband's chagrin).